Vibrating cleaning device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a vibrating cleaning device. Said vibrating cleaning device includes a handle portion, a vibrating shaft portion, said vibrating shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end, a cleaning head portion, a damper, an electric motor, an offset weight; said cleaning head portion adapted for use with removable cleaning pads, wipes or cloths; said cleaning head portion comprising of a plurality of vibration enhancing segments. The vibration action of the cleaning device enhances the cleaning capability and efficiency of the cleaning device thereby improving upon the cleaning process. The electric motor may be situated in a variety of areas within the cleaning device, such as within the shaft itself or in the head unit of the cleaning device. Said head unit incorporates a plurality of vibration enhancing segments and is capable of receiving a variety of removable leaning products such as disposable cleaning pads, wipes or cloths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a hand held mop-like cleaning device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved cleaning device which provides for more efficient cleaning capabilities through an enhanced pulsation and or vibration of the cleaning device.

2. Background of the Related Art

It can be appreciated that cleaning devices regarding hand-held, mop-like devices used by an individual, have been in use for years. Conventional floor, ceiling, wall or other surface mops typically have a rigid, elongated handle portion. Generally the elongated handle portion or shaft is attached to a head unit which accepts a variety of cleaning products, such as cleaning pads, wipes or cloths. In particular, mop heads for use indoors are about 3-4 inches wide and about 9-12 inches long, and they typically have a removable sponge or other type absorbent pad portion. Typically, once a cleaning pad becomes worn out or soiled beyond utility, it is removed and replaced with a fresh cleaning pad. These hand held mop like devices provided the user with a convenient, portable, and relatively simple way to clean floors and walls.

The main problem with these hand held mop like devices is that the cleaning results are heavily dependent on the individual's engagement of repeated back and forth motions with the hand held mop like devices. This heavy dependency on the individual's effort greatly reduces the efficiency and enjoyability of using such devices.

Another problem with these hand held mop like devices is that they do not incorporate the benefits of pulsation and/or vibration, which greatly enhances the cleaning capabilities of these hand held mop like devices, which provide more efficient and effective cleaning results.

While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose for which they address, they are not suitable for creating a hand held mop like device, which incorporates the benefits of a pulsating and/or vibrating action and yet still able to use disposable wipes, absorbent pads and cloths. In these respects, the present vibrating cleaning device according to the present invention substantially departs from the teachings of the prior art, and in so doing provides a device primarily developed for the purpose of creating a vibrating hand held mop like device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the present hand held mop like devices, the general purpose of the invention is to provide for a new vibrating cleaning device for use with disposable cleaning pads, wipes and/or cloths, which incorporate the benefits of vibration and/or pulsation, yet still maintaining the benefits of portability, convenience and ease of use. The advantages of vibration incorporated into the new cleaning device allows for greater cleaning capabilities and efficiency which provides for improved cleaning results.

The general purpose of the invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a vibrating cleaning device that has many advantages of the devices mentioned above and many novel features that result in a new vibrating hand held mop like device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art hand held mop like devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the vibrating cleaning device comprises: a handle portion, a shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end, a cleaning head portion, a damper, an electric motor, a power source, the cleaning head portion adapted for use with a removable cleaning pad, the cleaning head portion having a plurality of vibration enhancing segments.

The present invention is a cleaning system comprising: a handle portion, a shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end; a cleaning head portion, a damper, an electric motor, the cleaning head portion adapted for use with a removable cleaning pad; the cleaning head portion having a plurality of vibration enhancing segments; and means for controllably turning on and off the vibration ability of the cleaning device.

The present invention is a method for applying vibration to a cleaning device comprising a handle portion, a shaft portion, a head portion, a power source, and an electric motor attached thereto, the method comprising the following steps: obtaining the handle portion; mechanically coupling a power source to an electric motor, mechanically coupling an electric motor to a shaft portion and mechnically coupling the shaft portion containing the electric motor to the head portion; controllably distributing the vibration onto the handle portion; and distributing the vibration onto the head portion.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will described hereinafter.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a hand held mop like cleaning device which incorporates the advantages of vibration and/or pulsation;

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibrating hand held mop like cleaning device that is portable, convenient and simple to use;

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibrating hand held mop like cleaning device that is adapted for use with removable cleaning pads, wipes and/or cloths;

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibrating hand held mop like cleaning device which improves the capability and effectiveness of the cleaning head unit;

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibrating hand held mop like cleaning device which includes a power source;

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibrating hand held mop like cleaning device which has the ability to turn on and off the vibration element;

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made to the specific construction illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vibrating cleaning device.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the vibrating cleaning device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vibrating shaft section.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the vibrating shaft section.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the complete vibrating cleaning device.

FIG. 6 is a top down perspective view of the vibrating cleaning device.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the vibrating cleaning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description that follows is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principals discussed below may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but the invention is to be given the largest possible scope which is consistent with the principals and features described herein.

It will be understood that in the event parts of different embodiments have similar functions or uses, they may have been given similar or identical reference numerals and descriptions. It will be understood that such duplication of reference numerals is intended solely for efficiency and ease of understanding the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way, or as implying that the various embodiments themselves are identical.

A first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, which is an overall view of the entire vibrating cleaning device 1. The handle 2 is connected to the shaft tubes 4 that is held to the battery cap 6 by clip 34. The vibrating section battery cap 6 is connected to the vibrating shaft section 8 which contains an on/off switch 10. Vibrating shaft section 8 is connected to the motor cap 12. The motor cap 12 is held to the head unit connector 38 by clip 34. The head unit connector 38 is connected to the swivel pivot 40 which is connected to head unit 14.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the entire vibrating cleaning device. The handle 2 is connected to the shaft tubes 4 which is held to the battery cap 6 by clip 34. The battery cap 6 is connected to the vibrating shaft section housing 22 which holds a spring 16 which is connected to battery cap 6 to conduct current from the negative end of battery 18 to the vibrating shaft section housing 22, the spring 16 which fits in the switch housing 20 which also holds switch 10 and the positive end of the battery 18, is connected to the switch to battery conductor 24 which is connected to switch 10 and switch 10 is connected to the switch to motor conductor 26 which is connected to the motor 28 which is connected to the motor bracket 36. The motor bracket 36 is located between the motor 28 and the offset weight 30, which provides the vibration when the motor is on. The offset weight 30 is connected to the motor shaft 42 of the motor 28. The vibrating shaft section housing 22 is connected to the motor cap 12 and is held to the head unit connector 38 by clip 34. The head unit connector 38 is connect to swivel pivot 40 which is connected to head unit 14. The swivel pivot 40 allows the head unit 14 to rotate.

FIG. 3 is a close view of the assembled vibrating shaft section 8 shown with hidden-lines. The damper 32 isolates vibration energy to the head unit 14, and is connected to the battery cap 6 which is connected to vibrating shaft section housing 22 which holds the spring 16 which is connected to battery cap 6 to conduct current from the negative end of battery 18 to the vibrating shaft section housing 22, the spring fit in switch housing 20 which also holds switch 10 and the positive end of the battery 18 is connected to the switch to battery conductor 24 which is connected to switch 10 which is connected to the switch to motor conductor 26 which is connected to the motor 28 which is connected to the motor bracket 36. The motor bracket 36 is located between the motor 28 and the offset weight 30, which provides the vibration when the motor 28 is on. The vibrating shaft section housing 22 is connected to the motor cap 12.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the vibrating shaft section 8 shown with hidden-lines. The damper 32 that isolate vibration energy to the head unit 14, is connected to the battery cap 6 which is connected to vibrating section housing 22 which holds the spring 16 which is connected to battery cap to conduct current from the negative end of battery 18 to the vibrating section housing 22, the spring fit in switch housing 20 which also holds switch 10 and the positive end of the battery 18 is connected to the switch to battery conductor 24 which is connected to switch 10 and the switch 10 is connected to the switch to motor conductor 26 which is connected to the motor 28 which is connected to the motor bracket 36 which is in between the motor 10 and the offset weight 30 which provides the vibration when the motor 28 is on. The motor bracket 36 is connected to the motor shaft 42 of the motor 28. The vibrating shaft section housing 22 is connected to the motor cap 12.

FIG. 5 is the side view of the vibrating cleaning device that shows the handle 2 connected to shaft tubes 4 which is held to motor cap 6 by clip 34. The motor cap 6 is connected to vibrating shaft section housing 22 which holds switch 10 and is connected to motor cap 12 which is held to the head unit connector 38 by clip 34. The head unit connector 38 is connected to the swivel pivot 40 which is connected to the head unit 14.

FIG. 6 shows the top view of the entire vibrating cleaning device. In this view the handle 2, head unit 14, vibration enhancing segments and head unit connector 38 are visible. The head unit 14 contains the slotted pincher members 44 and vibrating enhancing segments 46 which flex and agitate when the vibrating cleaning device is turned on.

FIG. 7 shows the bottom view of the entire vibrating cleaning device. The head unit 14 can be seen and contains the vibration enhancing segments 46 which flex and agitate when the vibrating surface cleaner is turned on. 

1. A vibrating cleaning device comprising: a handle portion; a shaft tube; an electric motor; a power source; a vibrating shaft section having a proximal end and a distal end, said vibrating shaft section further including a housing, said housing adapted to receive said electric motor, said housing further adapted to receive said power source connected to said electric motor; a cleaning head portion, said vibrating shaft section coupled to said cleaning head portion, said cleaning head portion comprising a mechanical secure for retaining a removable cleaning pad; an offset weight connected to said electric motor;
 2. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 further comprising a removable cleaning pad;
 3. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 in which said mechanical secure for retaining said removable cleaning pad comprises a plurality of flexible, slotted pincher members.
 4. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 further comprising a switch connected to said power source wherein said switch activates said power source;
 5. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said power source is a battery;
 6. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 in which the handle portion further comprises a trigger mechanism for controllably turning on and off said power source;
 7. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 in which said cleaning portion head is comprised of a plurality of vibrating enhancing segments;
 8. The vibrating cleaning device of claim 1 in which said vibrating shaft section includes a damper;
 9. A method for vibrating a hand held mop-like cleaning device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a handle portion; mechanically coupling a power source to an electric motor; mechanically coupling an offset weight to said electric motor; mechanically coupling an electric motor to a shaft portion; mechnically coupling said shaft portion containing said electric motor to a head portion; controllably distributing the vibration onto said head portion;
 10. The method in claim 9 further comprising the step of activating the power source by a switch;
 11. The method in claim 9 further comprising the step of providing an indication when the power source is on or off;
 12. A method for vibrating a hand held mop-like cleaning device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a handle portion; mechanically coupling a power source to an electric motor; mechanically coupling an offset weight to said electric motor; mechanically coupling an electric motor to a head portion; mechnically coupling said head portion containing said electric motor to a shaft portion; controllably distributing the vibration onto said head portion;
 13. The method in claim 10 further comprising the step of activating the power source by a switch;
 14. The method in claim 10 further comprising the step of providing an indication when the power source is on or off; 